Nathan B
Instruments: Guitar, Trumpet, Drums, Bass Guitar, Ukulele
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Funk, Spirituals, Marching Band
Nathan B
Instruments: Guitar, Trumpet, Drums, Bass Guitar, Ukulele
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Funk, Spirituals, Marching Band
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 7-80
ETBU, Bachelor of Business Adminstration
My day job is Finance, but my passion is music! As a 7-year old trumpet player I knew music would be with me my entire life. I picked up a bass guitar at 12 years old and an acoustic guitar at age 15. I became a drummer at age 16. Now I am a seasoned musician, but more important- I am a 29 year old husband and father of 2 boys. I love giving children the knowledge and skills they need to express themselves through music. My musical career has not been glamorous. I have put in a lot of dull studio time and years of practice and private lessons. I have taught hundreds of students over the years and I find that most new musicians just want to play for the fun of playing! That's my goal. Not everyone will be a rock star. The financial rewards are often limited, but the joy of music is priceless. I want to spread the joy of music to every student I teach.
High School mentorship teaching- 2 years Mobberly Academy for the Performing Arts- 1 year Accent Music Lessons- 1 year Neighborhood Music Stapleton- 6 months Private lessons in studio- 5 years Post college, I played lead trumpet at some of the largest Churches in Houston, Texas. I weekly performed to stadiums of thousands. Over the past 15 years as an active bassist I have shared stages with many national acts. As an acoustic guitarist and drummer I have collaborated on multiple recording projects and served as a hired gun for many different artists.
My teaching methods are completely based on the playing level of the student. Beginner trumpet students will start in any generic beginner trumpet book. Students who have a grasp of the basics will jump right into Arban or Clark studies. I focus on tone improvement, range extension, air control, accuracy, and articulation. Sometimes that just means playing whole notes for 15 minutes at a time! Every embouchure is different so every student needs a different set of studies. Beginner guitar students will go through the first Hal Leonard book before moving in a more specialized direction. We will take a string-by-string approach to the guitar while we also learn chords. More advanced students can provide suggestions on where they would like the lessons to go. If you want to play Fernando Sor classical pieces then we can do that. If you want to learn jazz chord structure we can do that, too! If you want to improve solo on some scales, we can, of course, DO THAT! Beginner drum students will start with the basics of a rock beat using a full kit. Marching fundamentals are never fun, but we will introduce them over time. Over time, beats become more complex. Fills are introduced. New kick drum patterns are mastered. For more advanced students we will learn how to play dynamically within a song. As we add more advanced patterns to your repertoire we will also discuss when to use them and how to use them. For bass guitar students I prefer to only take moderate to advanced students. I specialize in bass line composition using only a chord chart. I can teach advanced slap/pop techniques and when they should be used. A good understanding of the instrument is required. I will teach you how to apply scales and modes to your bass lines.
As your teacher, my desire is to pass along my passion for music. Passing along my knowledge and helping you develop you skills is just one way to help you find your own passion for music. My lessons reflect this philosophy. I set realistic goals for every student every week. I have expectations for practice times and progression through my methods; however, I never get too bogged down in this. Unless you're motivated and passionate about your instrument, there can be no learning. I will help you keep up your motivation as much as I possibly can.
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